by Zahra Barnes, Sarah Bradley

It's a fair question. A nice, productive poop (I think you know what I'm talking about without me having to describe) can make you feel lighter and leaner and more comfortable in your jeans. Being "stuck" (a.k.a. constipated) makes you feel...the opposite. But is that lighter feeling after pooping real? Turns out, it can bebut only a bit, says Mitzi Dulan, RD, author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Pinterest-Diet-Your-Thin/dp/0989723941" id="cfde7da7-4413-3b5e-a1c2-216c87f78d7c"> The Pinterest Diet </a> . Its actually fairly simple," she says. "Depending on your size and how regular you are, your poop can vary from one to four pounds. Its likely to be on the higher end if you havent pooped for a few days."

\"Depending on your size and how regular you are, your poop can vary from one to four pounds.\"

If youre thinking, Four pounds, seriously?! I get it...thats not exactly a small amount if you're struggling to lose weight. But you have to remember that your poo is made up of some pretty heavy stuff: Specifically, its about

<a href="https://www.umassmemorialhealthcare.org/sites/umass-memorial-hospital/files/Documents/Services/Surgery/UMass_Colorectal_Inforgraphic_0316.pdf" id="8be4279a-6248-3676-a5fa-4fe159f8f852"> 75 percent water </a>

, per UMass Memorial Healthcare, with the rest being composed of bacteria, mucous, dead blood cells, and duh, food remains.

That said, you have to think big picture here. Even four pounds isn't a significant amount of weight at the end of the day, since the number on the scale will consistently swing up and down as your bowel movements do. In other words, when youre backed up, your weight will increase a bit, and after you relieve yourself, it'll drop. Either way, pooping wont affect your weight in any huge wayeven if it does feel like you just dropped 10 pounds. That amazing feeling is more about de-bloating than actual loss of body mass. Sorry!

Oh, tell me more about weight loss versus de-bloating.

Bloating is that awful, uncomfortable, full feeling that strikes when your digestive system has trapped air or gas inside it, and it can be downright painful, not to mention make you look puffy AF. Even though your stomach might appear bigger when you're bloated, bloating doesn't necessarily mean you've gained actual weight (in terms of body mass). Pooping can reduce bloating and help you fit more comfortably in your clothes so you feel smaller overall, says Dulan. Its not like after you poop you should be saying, This is my new weight!

If you're trying to track weight loss, Dulan suggests weighing yourself at similar times in the morning, sans clothes, to avoid letting your poops (or lack thereof) trick the scale. If you have to go to the bathroom, go ahead because it will lower the scale a little bit," she says. "But if you dont need to poop, dont sit on the toilet trying to go so you weigh less. It wont be a substantial difference."

<h1> Ah, so what affects my ability to poop? </h1>

While the direct connection between pooping and weight loss is minimal (again, sorry!), there is one aspect of the link that you can use to your benefit: Eating a diet thats <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19899225/fiber/" id="31d40561-d36e-3c3c-a937-e18fa8887c4b"> higher in fiber </a> causes you to not only be more regular, but it can also help you lose weight, says Brigitte Zeitlin, MPH, RD, a nutritionist at <a href="http://www.b-nutritious.com/" id="b695e95d-2055-38e8-ab24-20a904c7f051"> B Nutritious </a> .

How so? Stocking up on enough fiber throughout your day helps push food through your system to avoid constipation before it starts. It actually stimulates your GI tract to promote movement, says Zeitlin. Beyond that, a high-fiber diet may help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4588743/" id="12b31632-1ed6-3420-a68e-742af37f6877"> ward off certain cancers </a> , especially that of the colon, and help <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1663443" id="a20f1d56-3e82-38df-a1c6-713afc5039f5"> regulate blood sugar </a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9925120" id="9d699691-5eeb-33f9-a022-b3d1ab7e4ffb"> reduce cholesterol </a> , studies show.

And when it comes to your weight, fiber fills you up like few nutrients can. Fiber is found in three things: fruits, vegetables, and whole grains," says Zeitlin. "If youre incorporating fiber at every meal and snack, youre making sure youre eating one of these fabulous foods that promote weight loss and a healthy lifestyle. In addition, youre probably removing other things that arent as great [from your diet]." Speaking of things that aren't as great for your diet, here's how J.Lo and A-Rod pulled off a no-sugar challenge:

That said, <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a28774700/too-much-fiber/" id="c7c854e5-bcc6-3e66-ade6-1d1dd68fd8b2"> dont overdo it on the F word </a> : Zeitlin recommends women aim for 25 to 30 grams of fiber per day, because getting much more than that can not only constipate you but cause other GI distress symptoms, too.

According to Duke University, regularly consuming more than <a href="https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/sites/default/files/u110/TooMuchFiber082015.pdf" id="084b4019-e893-3578-abf4-ded2bf0732c8"> 70 grams of fiber </a> may lead to bloating, gas, diarrhea, cramps, and a decrease in appetite. Eating too much fiber can also limit nutrient absorption and even cause intestinal blockages (that's pretty serious stuff).

To get a healthy amount of fiber every day, try having a cup of a high-fiber food as part of your breakfast, like a cup of berries with Greek yogurt (it's <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19936841/eat-yogurt-lose-weight/" id="43667b99-7afe-3add-aa5e-61a519a34bd8"> high in probiotics </a> , which promote healthy GI bacteria to help move things along, says Zeitlin). You should also aim to eat <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a19941191/cook-better-vegetables/" id="b39a1ecc-4a3a-3436-a73d-475e774adafa"> two fistfuls of veggies </a> at both lunch and dinner to keep your digestive systemand your weightas regular as possible.

Oh, and dont forget about all the other stuff you do all day that affects how often you poop (fiber is just one piece of the puzzle!). As WH previously reported, you might find yourself <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19945825/causes-of-constipation/" id="041b8fce-be40-3ea6-abcd-59b2133ebbd3"> pooping less frequently </a> if you:

<ul><li> <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a26255080/how-much-water-should-i-drink-per-day/">don't drink enough water</a> </li><li> forget to manage your stress levels </li><li> change your schedule or travel frequently (hi, vacation constipation) </li><li> experience <a itemtype="link" id="1941439e-0993-3921-a59f-18fc60db8fc6" itemscope="itemscope"> <meta content="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19996559/period-diarrhea/" itemprop="url"/> hormonal changes </a> (thanks to PMS, pregnancy, or menopause) </li><li> take certain OTC or prescription medications </li><li> change up your <a itemtype="link" id="9a8637a5-7a81-31d8-ac07-8ec63e0e8d77" itemscope="itemscope"> <meta content="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/a19982334/why-high-protein-diets-constipate-you/" itemprop="url"/> diet or caloric intake </a> </li><li> dont engage in regular physical activity </li></ul>

Of course, the reverse of all these factors is true, too; some medications can make you <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a19924194/am-i-pooping-too-much/" id="47c5a448-741b-377d-a2f3-0214cf1e43e3"> poop more often </a> , as can your overall activity/hydration/caffeine levels. Its all one big balancing act.

<h1> So how do I find my "normal"? </h1>

If youre hoping for an exact number of bowel movements thats considered healthy or "normal," so sorry (gosh, I keep apologizing here). There is no one number, because the range of normal varies from person to person. Anywhere from <a href="https://www.umassmemorialhealthcare.org/sites/umass-memorial-hospital/files/Documents/Services/Surgery/UMass_Colorectal_Inforgraphic_0316.pdf" id="4743db6e-50ed-3e69-a4dc-ae63c3b11eef"> three times a day to once every three days </a> is generally considered healthy, so as long as you fall somewhere along that spectrum (and arent experiencing anything painful or out of the ordinary), youre good.

Now, if you are experiencing something painful or out of the ordinary, you should contact your doctor. Depending on the issue, he or she may refer you to a gastroenterologist. According to Penn Medicine, <a href="https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/march/poop" id="4cbc8e5e-f8b1-3d3e-a551-a0b692c2146b"> having the following symptoms </a> for any extended period of time (i.e. more than a few days) warrants a phone call or visit:

<ul><li> consistently off-colored poop (like pale, red, or black stool) or color changes not related to new dietary habits </li><li> sudden changes to the frequency of your bowel movements </li><li> bloody stool </li><li> severe abdominal pain while pooping </li><li> poop that floats (which can be a sign of infection) </li><li> poop that smells unusual or especially odorous </li></ul>

The bottom line? Its important to know that a slowdown in your regular bathroom habits may make you feel like youve gained a bunch of weight, but thats really not the case. A combination of bloating and discomfortalong with a couple extra pounds of poopcan make the situation seem more dire than it actually is. When you do finally go, youll feel lighter than air...but youll still only weigh a leeeettle less than before. So if weight loss is your goal, you'll need to think outside the bathroomgood thing <a href="https://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/" id="3581d774-9be1-3e19-a8c5-0bd2f17d88bb"> WH is here for that </a> !

Anyone who has ever hit the bathroom at Target or Barnes &amp; Noble to emerge a new person has probably wondered (beyond "What is it about this place?") whether pooping actually affects weight loss.

Real Talk: Does Pooping Affect Weight Loss?

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by Zahra Barnes, Sarah Bradley

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Real Talk: Does Pooping Affect Weight Loss?